Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-01-08
TnE yoE % CIVILIZATION

Hiyiilz 8fiou Of the oentury u 70 be looked
for, not tn the ranks Of outside barbara
ians, thirstiDa for conquest and Plua-
der, not In the forays Of an AtlIls or
Jenebis Khan. bat IN q debased and de-
m0Fnlizsd pablic sentiment. The re.
version Of the civilized world TO bar
baFism will Be brought about, II at all.
by q Iaxity Of merais, and q diaposi
tion 10 minimize the gravity Of certain
public oiEsnses, and 20 tolersts II not 10
encourage the offenders.
Ths danger lies chiefly IN the line Of
axou-inR or palliating breaches Of con
| htentiai relations, existing between en-
pIoyefs and employees, or principals and
agents. such relations, which were
| formerly considered 30 sacred as 10 be
absolutely inviolAble, are nov broken
eveFy day and constantly, and their fire.
quent repetition sos ms 10 have blunIed
toe popular perception Of their enoF.
nifty. skipped 70 Canada" seems to
ee q standing caption in the Eastern
papers, while the measure Of the gnilt si
/ ihe offender IL not the offsnse, bot ia
detection. Enbezz ement, fraudulent
conversion, breach Of trust and similai
crimes have grown 50 common as ID
scarcely exotic comment, and even II
remarked upon. Il is generally from the
standpoint Of the III fortune Of the EN-.
plOyeF, not the crime of the employe.
1hls vicious tone OF pueblo feeling ID
not confined 10 the United states. In
Eaglaad, France and Germany the same
sentiment prevails. though possibly in a
less degree. In tbOss osantries, as we'll
as in our own, successful Fascality is
looked up 60, and the man who has
made feEtune By robbinQ others, pro-
vtded be has been adroit enough 20 es-
cape the Law, 10 quite as we'll received
and quite as highly esteemed az be ID
nndeF our more modern and less polish
ed civilization There, a. here. the
measure Of success Is the amouut OF
money, and not the way ia which it wae
obtained; and society is very careful
hew Il throws any aud against the walls
Of the town mansion IN London or the
palace 10 Paris, even though its ocou
past has made bis fortune by r0hbiae
bis employer or appfgpEisting trust
funds.
Il Is Of no practical use to pass penal
ssatutss against such odenses a. thsse,
unless they are supplemented BY public
opinion. The eonvictiea and punish
ment Of one ~ half a dozen emhezxlers
will produce no lasting effect uales
society will consent 20 ostrAcixs And
boycott the recognized bat unoonvicted
swiBdlera who blossom and flourish ia
their midst. lt IL the men Who are be-
yond the reach of the Law who are %
dangerous 60 public morality. The
very faet OF their having been able 90
defraud and swindle 50 cunninals as 90
escape punishment Is in itself more
fatal 10 healthy lone OF popular ssnti.
me than would be the existence Of an
active criminal element which was
knoWn and dreaded, and against which
society would be constantly on its
guard. To certain weak minds the
temptation 30 take advantage Of the
trus' reposs Ia them, IL it can be dsne
safely, is irresistible. And Why not
They look around them aud they zee
here . stately mansion built from the
stolen savings Of widows and orphans,
there magnificent country seat
eQuipped and adorned from The depos-
its OF an inaolvcnt bank, and yonder a
gorgeous public edIfies donated 20 an
admiriBg popaiace by some wealthy
sSindieE or b0udle alderman. Nhy
should they net argue with themselves
that What Is virtue 10 one case cannot
BE- a crime In another; and that IL the
smbs zzlemeni Of . half q millisn makes
= man bonoFed and respected. the theft
u ten or twenty thousand is q favor,
able beginning in securing the esteem
Of society,"
We must learn 10 call men and THINGS
By their right names, II Ve hope 20 re-
verse the current OF public sentiments
and 10 elevate she tane aAd char acter Of
the civilization ef which We 50 pFOudls
beast. II a confidential clerk uses his
employers money az ess own he shoald
be called thief and his ace felony.
Instead Of TALKING about q shortage in
hts accounts or 4 discrepancy in his
books. the facts should be stated 10
bold, direct language that be has stolen
from hia employer. Canada shoald ne
longer be referred 10 as the paradise Of
successful hnAncters. bat should be
considered as the refuge OF robbers and
swindlefs, Sho keep out OF the peDtten.
tiary only BY reason Of detective extra
ditinn tfeatieS
IN saoh = cay A. this. and In ne other,
eAa the toFreut Of corruption and fraud
which threatens 10 overwhelm us b
stemmed. Until soeisty shall emphati
caliy set he seal Of its condemnation
upon the edcuse, and exclude trom is
charmed circle the offender, we shall
look In vain for an tffestaal enforce
ment Of The iAw. The crimes Of defalca
tian and emhs a. ement must be made
sAamefut and atsgracefal 10 themselves.
a. vel A. pauiahable bv imprisonment,
and the offenders held 40 10 pahliS
sseFu and obl cav a. dangerous u she
existence % TIE social order and san
ssF>svs q everything that goes b make
aaodeFn crvi siion valuable OF dtsiFa
be The tO1 een-rst tendeasx % oan
dsnatiaB Fl sceh efsos-s aust be rooted
40 aud destroyed, and their real shArae-
tsr sxPosed 70 paSiie view In ali les
hidsoas deformity.